When you first make the decision to consult a lawyer about your case, there will be a few questions on your mind How much is a family lawyer? How much will my family law court case cost? It is impossible to tell you exactly how much a lawyer will cost but we can at least give some idea about what costs you will be up for throughout your case.
How Much Does A Family Lawyer Cost?
How much does it cost to talk to a lawyer?
Lawyers generally charge an hourly rate and some are more expensive than others. The lowest you might pay is about $300 per hour for an admitted lawyer, someone with less than 2 years experience. For the principal of a law firm, someone with years and years experience, you could pay around $600 per hour. If you just have one consultation with a lawyer, they may charge you their hourly rate or they may provide you with a fixed cost for that consultation that it a little less than their hourly rate.
What is time-costing?
Time costing is one way a lawyer can work out your bill. Their rate will be charged at a certain amount per hour and you will be charged in certain increments, for example 6 minutes at a time. So if your lawyer costs $400 per hour ($6.6 per minute which equals $40 per 6 minute increment) and you have a conversation with them for 20 minutes, you will be charged for 4 increments (24 minutes) for a total cost of $160. Time-costing means you pay for every meeting, every phone call, every email depending on how long it takes.
What are fixed fees?
A fixed fee is when a lawyer charges you fixed amount for the work they do. This means that you pay one fee for the work they have quoted you and it doesn't matter how many times you email or speak with them, you will still be charged that same amount. Experienced lawyers are able to offer fixed fees as they have undertaken the work so many times, they understand approximately how much it would cost so they can give you a fixed quote.
How much will it cost to get a family lawyer?
This depends on what is outlined about how much their hourly rate is, how experienced they are and whether you are time-costed or using a fixed fee basis. Some people can spend over $100,000 fighting their matter in court, others can resolve their matter outside of court a couple of thousand dollars. You can expect to pay a lawyer at least $300 to get competent legal advice about your matter and what your likely outcomes are.
How much are your fees?
Again, it depends on the circumstance of your case. We provide a free initial telephone consultation so that we can gather some information about your matter and provide you with a proper quote according to what will suit your individual case. We provide fixed fees for all of our matters, except complicated binding financial agreements, so you will know exactly what you are up for before we even start work on your matter. Given that we are a boutique firm, our fees are more cost-efficient than other large practices and we don't charge per phone call or email so you can feel comfortable contacting us at any time.
Contact us for more information or to book a free legal advice session.
This information does not constitute legal advice. You should consult with a lawyer to obtain independent legal advice relevant to your situation.
